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11
carry dispatches," you say? Well,
there are plenty of good men in my
troop who will volunteer to take them
on. You need rest."
"Not much," said Hampton. "I'm
fit enough, or shall be as soon as I get
food. (lood Ixrd, hoy, I am not done
up yet, by a long way! It's the cursed
loneliness out yonder," he swept his
hand toward the horizon, "and the
having to care for him that has broken
my heart. He went that way clear
hack on the Powder, and it's been a
fight between us ever since. I'll be
all right now if you lads will only look
after him. This is going to reach Cus
ter, and I'll take it!" He flung back
bis ragged coat, his band on the dispatch-bag.
"I've earned the right."
Rrant reached forth his hand - cor
dially. "That's true; you have. What's
more, if you're able to make the trip,
there Is no one here who will attempt
to stop you. But now tell me how this
thing happened. I want to know the
story before we get in."
For a moment Hampton remained
silent, his thoughtful gaze on the near
by videttes, his hands leaning heavily
upon the saddle pommel. Perhaps he
did not remember clearly; possibly he
could not Instantly decide just how
much of that story to tell. Brant sus
pected this last to be his difficulty,
and he spoke impulsively.
"Hampton, there has been trouble
and misunderstanding between us, but
that's all past and gone now. I sin
cerely believe in your purpose of
right, and I ask you to trust me.
Either of us would give his life if need
were, to be of real service to a little
girl back yonder In the hills. I don't
know what you are to her; I don't
ask. I know she has every confidence
in you, and that is enough. Now, I
want to do what is right with both of
you, and if you have a word to say to
me regarding this matter, I'll treat it
confidentially. This trip with Murphy
has some bearing upon Naida Gillis,
has it not?"
"Yes."
"Will you tell me the story?"
The thoughtful gray eyes looked at
him long and searchingly. "Brant, do
you love that girl?"
Just as unwaveringly the blue eyes
returned the look. "I do. I have
asked her to become my wife."
"And her answer?"
"She said no; that a dead man was
between us."
"Is that all you know?"
The younger man bent his head, his
face grave and perplexed. "Practical
ly all."
Hampton wet his dry lips with his
tongue, his breath quickening.
"And in that she was right," he
said at last, his eyes lowered to the
ground. "I will tell you why. It was
the father cf Naida Gillis who was
convicted of the murder of Maj.
Brant."
"Oh, my father? Is she Capt. No
lan's daughter? But you say 'convict
ed. Was there ever any doubt? Do
you question his being guilty?"
Hampton pointed in silence to the
hideous creature behind them. "That
man could tell, but he has gone mad."
Brant endeavored to speak, but the
words would not come; his brain
seemed paralyzed. Hampton held him
self under better control.
"I have confidence, Lieut. Brant, In
your honesty," he began, gravely, "and
I believe you will strive to do what
ever is best for her, if anything should
happen to me out yonder. But for the
possibility of my being knocked out, I
wouldn't talk about this, not even to
you. The affair is a long way from
being straightened out so as to make
a pleasant story, but I'll give you all
you actually require to know in order
to make it clear to her, provided I
shouldn't come back. You see, she
doesn't know very much more than
you c.o only what I was obliged to
tell to keep her from getting too close
ly entangled with you. Maybe I ought
to have given her the full story before
I started on this trip. I've since
wished I had, but you see, I never
dreamed it was going to end here, on
the Big Horn; besides, I didn't have
the nerve.
"You see, Brant. I feel that I simply
have to carry these dispatches
through. I have a pride in giving
them to Custer myself, because of the
trouble I've had in getting them here.
But perhaps I may not come back,
and in that case there wouldn't be
anyone living to tell her the truth. It
seems to me that there is going to be
a big fight somewhere in these hills
before long. So I want to leave these
private papers with you until I come
back. It will relieve my mind to know
they are safe; if I don't come, then I
want you to open them and do what
ever you decide is best for the little
girl. You will do that, won't you?"
He handed over a long manila en
velope securely sealed, and the young
er man accepted it, noticing that it
was unaddressed before depositing it
safely in an Inner pocket of bis fatigue
jacket.
"Certainly, Hampton," he said. "Is
that all?"
"AH except what I am going to tell
you now regarding Murphy. There I
so use my attempting to explain ex
- ntv TM -
1MS2
IT if I
actly "iow T chanced to finil"7ut all
these things, for they came to nie little
by little during several years. I knew
Nolan, and I knew your father, and I
had reason to doubt the guilt of the
captain, In spite of the verdict of the
jury that condemned him. In fact, I
knew at the time, although It was not
in my power to prove it, that the two
principal witnesses against Nolan lied.
I thought I could guess why, but we
drifted apart, and finally I lost all
track of every one connected with the
affair. Then I happened to pick up
that girl down in the canyon beyond
the Bear Water, and pulled her out
alive just because she chanced to be
of that sex, and I couldn't stand to see
her fall into Indian clutches. I didn't
feel any special interest, in her at the
time, supposing she belonged to Old
Gillis, but she somehow grew on me
she's that kind, you know; and
when I discovered, purely by accident,
that she was Capt. Nolan's girl, but
that it all had been kept from her, I
just naturally made up my mind I'd
dig out the truth if I possibly could,
for her sake. The fact is, I began to
think a lot about her not the way
you do, you understand; I'm getting
too old for that, and have known too
much Tabout women, but maybe some
what as a father might feel. Anyhow,
I wanted to give her a chance, a
square deal, so that she wouldn't be
ashamed of her own name if ever she
found out what it was.
"About that time I fell foul of Mur
phy and Slavin there in Glencald. I
never got my eyes on Murphy, you
know, and Slavin was so changed by
that big red beard that I failed to rec
ognize him. But their actions aroused
my suspicions, and I went after them
good and hard. I wanted to find out
what they knew, and why those lies
were told on Nolan at the trial. I had
an idea they could tell me. So, for a
starter I tackled Slavin, supposing we
were alone, and I was pumping the
facts out of him successfully by hold
ing a gun under his nose, and occa
sionally jogging his memory, when
this fellow Murphy got excited, and
chasseed into the game, but happened
to nip his partner instead of me. In
the course of our little scuffle I
chanced to catch a glimpse of the fel
low's right hand, and it had a scar on
the back of it that looked mighty fa
miliar. I had seen it before, and I
vanted to see it again. So, when I
got out of that scrape, and the doctor
had dug a stray bullet out of my
anatomy, there didn't seem to be any
one left for me to chase excepting
Murphy, for Slavin was dead. I wasn't
exactly sure he was the owner of that
scar, but I had my suspicions and
wanted to verify them. Having struck
his . trail, I reached Cheyenne just
about four hours after he left there
with these dispatches for the Big Horn.
I caught up with .the fellow on the
south bank of the Belle Fourche, and
being well aware that no threat or
gun play would ever force him to con
fess the truth, I undertook to frighten
him by trickery. I brought along
some drawing-paper and drew your fa
ther's picture in phosphorus and gave
him the benefit in the dark. That
caught Murphy all right, and every
thing was coming my way. He threw
up his hands and even agreed to come
in here with me and tell the whole
story, but the poor fellow's brain
couldn't stand the strain of the scare
I had given him. He went raving mad
on the Powder; he Jumped on me
while I was asleep, and since then
every mile has been a little hell.
That's the whole of It to date."
They were up with the pack-train
by now, and the cavalrymen gazed
with interest at the new arrivals.
Several among them seemed to recog
nize Murphy, and crowded about his
horse with rough expressions of sym
pathy. Brant scarcely glanced at
them, his grave eyes on Hampton's
stern face.
"And what is it you wish me to do?"
"Take care of Murphy. Don't let
him remain alone for a minute. If he
has any return of reason, compel him
to talk. He knows you, and will be as
greatly frightened at your presence
and knowledge as at mine. Besides,
you have fully as much at stake as
anyone, for in no other way can the
existing barrier between Naida and
yourself be broken down."
Insisting that now he felt perfectly
fit for any service, the impatient
Hampton was quickly supplied with
the necessary food and clothing, while
Murphy, grown violently abusive, was
strapped on a litter between two
mules, a guard on either side. Brant
rode with the civilian on a sharp trot
as far as the head of the pack-train,
endeavoring to the very last to per
suade the wearied man to relinquish
this work to another.
"Foster," he said to the sergeant In
command of the advance, "did you
chance to notice just what coulee Cus
ter turned into when his column
swung to the right?"
"I think it must have been the sec
ond yonder, sir; where you see that
bunch of trees. We was a long ways
back, but I could see the boys plain
enough as tney come out on the bluff
up there. Some of 'em waved their
riats ack al us. Is this man goTn'
after them, sir?"
"Yes, he has dispatches from Chey
enne." "Well he ought ter have no trouble
find In' the trail. It ought ter be 'bout
plain as a road back in God's country,
sir, for there were more than 200
horses, and they'd leave a good mark
even on hard ground."
Brant held out his hand. "I'll cer
tainly do all in my power, Hampton,
to bring this out right. You can rely
on that, and I will be faithful to the
little girl."
The two men clasped hands, their
eyes filled with mutual confidence.
Then Hampton touched spurs to his
horse and galloped r.wiftly forward.
CHAPTER XXXII.
The Fight in the Valley.
Far below, in the heart of the sunny
depression bordering the left bank of
the Little Big Horn, the stalwart
troopers under Reno's command gazed
up the steep bluff to wave farewell to
their comrades disappearing to the
right. Last of all, Custer halted his
horse an instant, silhouetted against
the blue sky, and swung his hat be
fore spurring out of sight.
The plan of battle was most simple
and direct. It Involved a nearly sim
ultaneous attack upon the vast Indian
village from below and above, success
depending altogether upon the prompt
co-operation of the separate detach
ments. Scarcely had Custer's slender
column of horsemen vanished across
the summit before Reno's command
advanced, trotting down the valley,
the Arikara scouts in the lead. They
had been chosen to strike the first
blow, to force their way Into the lower
village, and thus to draw the defend
ing warriors to their front, while Cus
ter's men were to charge upon the
rear.
A half-mile, a mile, Reno's troops
rode, with no sound breaking the si
lence but the pounding of hoofs, the
tinkle of accoutrements. Then, round
ing a sharp projection of earth and
rock, the scattered lodges of the In
dian village already partially revealed
to those in advance, the riders were
brought to sudden halt by a fierce
crackling of rifles from rock and ra
vine. Men fell cursing, and the fright
ened horses swerved, their riders
struggling madly with their mounts,
the column thrown Into momentary
confusion. But the surprised cavalry
men, quailing beneath the hot fire
poured Into them, rallied to the shouts
of their officers, and swung into a
slender battle front, stretching out
their thin line from the bank of the
river to the sharp uplift of the west
ern bluffs. Scarcely 150 white troop
ers waited to stem as best they might
that fierce onrush of 1,200 battle
crazed braves.
For an almost breathless space those
mingled hordes of Sioux and Chey
ennes hesitated to drive straight home
their death-blow. They knew those
silent men in the blue shirts, knew
they died hard. Upon that slight
pause pi voted the fate of the day;
upon it hung the lives of those other
men riding boldly and trustfully across
the sunlit ridges above. "Audacity,
always audacity," that is the accepted
motto for a cavalryman. And be the
cause what it may, it was here that
Maj. Reno failed. In that supreme in
stant he was guilty of hesitancy,
doubt, delay. He chose defense in
preference to attack, dallied where he
should have acted. The observing
savages, gathering courage from his
apparent weakness, burst forth in re
sistless torrent against the slender,
unsupported line, turned his flank by
one fierce charge, and hurled the
struggling troopers back with a rush
into the narrow strip of timber border
ing the river.
The whole narrow valley seemed to
swarm with braves; they poured forth
from sheltering coulees and shadowed
ravines; they dashed down in count
less numbers from the distant village.
Custer, now far away behind the
bluffs, and almost beyond sound of
the firing, was utterly ignored. Every
savage chief knew exactly where that
column was, but it could wait its turn.
In leaderless effort to break away
from that swift-gathering cordon, be
fore the red, remorseless folds should
elose tighter and crush them to death,
the troopers, half of them already dis
mounted, burst from cover in an en
deavor to attain the shelter of the
bluffs. The deadly Indian rifles
flamed in their faces, and they were
hurled back, a mere fleeing mob,
searching for nothing in that moment
of terror but a possible passageway
across the stream. Through some
rare providence of God, they chanced
to strike the banks at a spot where
the river proved fordable. They
plunged headlong in, officers and men
commingled, the Indian bullets churn
ing up the water on every side. The
loss in that wild retreat (which Reno
later called a "charge") was heavy,
the effect demoralizing; but those who
escaped found a spot well suited for
defense. Even as they swung down
from off their wounded, panting horses
and flung themselves flat upon their
faces to sweep with hastily leveled
carbines the river banks below, Ben
teen came trotting gallantly down the
valley to their aid, his troopers fresh
and eager to be thrown forward on
the firing-line. The worst was over,
and like maddened lions, the rallied
soldiers of the Seventh, cursing their
folly, turned to strike and slay.
A line of skirmishers was hastily
thrown forward along the edge of the
bluff, while volunteers, urged by the
agonized cries of the wounded, en
deavored vainly to procure a supply
of water from the river. Again and
again they made the effort, only to be
driven back by the deadly Indian rifle
lire. By three o'clock, although the
majority of the savages had departed
down the river, enough remained to
keep up a galling fire, and hold Reno
slrlctly on tiie iiefensTve
As the men lay exposed to the con
tinuous snipping fire, above the sur
rounding din were borne to their ears
the reports of distant guns. It came
distinctly from the northward, grow
ing heavier and more continuous.
None among them doubted its ominous
meaning. Custer was already engaged
in hot ac tion at the right or the Indian
village. Why were they kept lying
there in Idleness? Why were they not
pushed forward to do their part? They
looked into each other's faces. God!
They were 300 now; they could sweep
aside like chaff that fringe of red
skirmishers if only they got the word!
Officer after officer, unable to restrain
his impatience, strode back across the
bluff summit, amid whistling bullets,
and personally begged the major to
speak the one word which should hurl
them to the rescue. They cried like
women, they swore through clinched
teeth, they openly exhibited their con
tempt for such a commander, yet the
discipline of army service made active
disobedience impossible. They went
reluctantly back, as helpless as chil
dren. It was four o'clock, the shadows of
the western bluffs already darkening
the river bank. Suddenly a faint cheer
ran along the lines, and the men lifted
themselves to gaze up the river. Urg
ing the tired animals to a trot, the
strong hand of a trooper grasping
every halter-strap, Brant was swing
ing his long pack-train up the smoke
wreathed valley. The outriding flank
ers exchanged constant shots with the
skulking savages hiding in every ra
vine and coulee. Pausing only to pro
tect their wounded, fighting their way
step by step, N troop ran the gantlet
and came charging into the cheering
lines with every pound of their treas
ure safe. Weir of D, whose dismount
ed troopers held that portion of the
line, strode a pace forward to greet
the leader, and as the extended hands
of the officers met, there echoed down
to them from the north the reports of
two heavy volleys, fired in rapid suc
cession. The sounds were clear, dis
tinctly audible even above the uproar
of the valley. The heavy eyes of the
two soldiers met, their dust-streaked
faces flushed.
"That was a signal, Custer's signal
for help!" the younger man cried, im
pulsively, his voice full of agony. "For
GodHj slfke, WeTr, what are you fel
lows waiting here for?"
The other uttered a groan, his hand
flung in contempt back toward the
bluff summit. "The cowardly fool
won't move; he's whipped to death
now."
"Reno, you mean? Whipped? You
haven't lost 20 men. Is this the Sev
enth? skulking here under cover
while Custer begs help? Doesn't the
man know? Doesn't he understand?
By heaven, I'll face him myself! I'll
make him act, even if I have to damn
him to his face."
He swung his horse with a jerk to
the left, but even as the spurs touched.
Weir grasped the taut rein firmly.
"It's no use, Brant. It's been done;
we've all been at him. He's simply
lost his head. Know? Of course he
knows. Martini struck us just below
here, as we were coming in, with a
message from Custer. It would have,
stirred the blood of anyone but him
Oh, God! It's terrible."
"A message? What was it?"
"Cook wrote it, and addressed it to
Benteen. It read: 'Come on. Big vil
lage. Be quick. Bring packs.' And
then, 'P. S. Bring packs.' That means
they want ammunition badly; they're
fighting to the death out yonder, and
they need powder. Oh, the coward!"
Brant's eyes ran down the waiting
line of his own men, sitting their sad
dles beside the halted pack animals.
Brant Was Swinging His Pack-Train
Up the Smoke-Wreathed Valley.
He leaned over and dropped one hand
heavily on Weir's shoulder. "The
rest of you can do as you please, but
N troop is going to take those ammu
nition packs to Custer if there's any
possible way to get through, orders or
no orders." He straightened up in the
saddle, and his voice sounded down
the weaned line like the blast of a
trumpet.
"Attention! N ttoop! Right face;
dress. Number four bring forward
the ammunition packs. No, leave the
others where they are; move lively,
men!"
He watched them swing like magic
into formation, their dust-begrimed
faces lighting up with animation. They
knew their officer, and this meant bus
iness. "Unsling carbines load!"
Weir, the veteran soldier, glanced
down that steady line of ready troop
ers, and then back to Brant's face.
"Do you mean it? Are you going up
those bluffs? Good Heavens, man. It
will mean a courtmartial."
"Custer commands the Seventh. I
command the pack-train," said Brant.
"His orders are to bring up the packs.
Perhaps I can't get through alone, but
IH try. Better a courtmartial than to
fail those men out there. Going? Of
course I'm going. Into line take in
tervals forward!"
--- era fm--mmi nir m. .
Don't Use
sell, and what your prices are. Nine times out of ten your prices
are lower, but th customer is Influenced by the up-to-date adver
tising of the mail order house. Every article you advertise should
b described and priced. You rrtust tell your story in an inter
esting way, and when you want to reach th buyers of this com
munity use the columns of this paper.
AN OLD PIONEER
PASSES AVAY
Having Lived in Cass County for
More than a Half Century
Thomas L. Campbell at the home of
his, Peter, some four miles from Rock
Bluffs, and just west of Kenosha, pas
sed away Sunday morning, aged 78
years, cause of death old age and a
complication of troubles which have
existed for some time. Thomas Camp
bell was born in Ohio in 1830, and at
the age of 26 years came to this state
and county, living here since, the fun
eral will be held tomorrow.
Mr Campbell's wife preceded him to
the other land a number of years since.
We will give a more extended account
in another issue. He leaves a number
of children, all of whom are grown, to
mourn his death.
$500.00 On One Wagon
Our excellent friend, H. C. Long,
was in Plattstnouth last Friday even
ing, and while here called at the Jour
nal office, and left $3.00 with us in pay
ment for Floyd Harshman's paper, at
Traer, Kansas. Mr. Long had just re
turned from Kansas, and while in
Traer, Mr. Harshman gave him the
money to be left with us. The $500.00
referred to in the above heading was in
alfalfa seed that Mr. Harshman had on
his wagon for market at the time Mr.
Long met him, and the exact price re
ceived for the same. Mr. Harshman
and father Geo. Harshman, own some
eight or nine alfalfa farm in the fam
ous Beaver Bottom, and the growth of
this popular crop in Kansas is some
thing wonderful. Mr. Long says that
these excellent former Cass county
people are certainly doing fine in their
present home. Success to them is the
wish of the journal.
Painting and Papering How
Painting, paper hanging, and calci
mining, all kings of graining and stain
ing done on short notice. This is the
season of the year for new paint and
paper. All work guaranteed and
promptly done. Independent 'phone
378 Green. O. C. Hale.
Henry Horn, from Cedar Creek, was
in the city Saturday, and while here
called at the Journal office and enrolled
his name for the Daily Journal for one
year.
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nl(D)0imSfiQj(dls7
While you are not very busy is a very good
time to study at home. You now have the
time we have the books. Call and examine
them.. Here is the list. They are up-to-date
and practical: Machine Shop Work,
Tool Making, Gas Engines and Producers,
Carpentry, Masonry Construction, Re-in-forced
Concrete, Mechanical Drawing, The
Electric Telegraph, Machine Design, Practi
cal Lessons in Electricit, The Steam Engine,
Estimating, Contracts and Specifications,
Stair Building and Steel Square, Valve Gears
and Indicators and Pattern Making
PC
fot
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DRUGS, WALL PAPER, PHOTOGRAPHIC SUPPLIES.
D13C
a Scarecrow
To Drive Away the
Mail Order Wolf
You can drive liim out
quickly if you uc the mail
order houses' own weapon
advertising. Mail order
concerns are spending
thousands of dollars every
week in order to get trade
from the home merchants.
Do you think for a minute
they would keep it up if
they didn't get the busi
ness? Don't take it for
granted that every one
within a radius of 25 miles
knows what you have to
THE
Temptation to Duy
needlessly will be greatly reduced if
you have to draw a check every time
you make a purchase. Don't keep
your cash in your pocket where it is
likely to burn a hole. Open an ac
count with The Bank of Cass County.
Experience proves that a man thinks
twice before he spends onfce when he
has an account at the bank.
THF BANK OF CASS COUNTY
WHEN THE KETTLE SIIIGS
it's a sign of coal satisfaction. Want
to hear the music In your kitchen?
Easy order coal from this ofllce and
yard. Tbe output of the Trenton
mine the fuel we handle has no su
perior anywhere, its equal In few
places
J. V. EGENBERGER,
'PHMJF Plattsmouth No. 22.
PLATTSMOUTH, - - - NEBRASKA'
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